Kindness at In Its Simplest Form

Kindness

According to the Oxford dictionary, kindness is “the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate”. But it goes beyond just being friendly or considerate. It is the act of stepping outside your norm and doing something for someone else just for the sake of being nice. Today try celebrating #WorldKindessDay by finding unique ways to help those around you and yourself. You may be surprised at how much happier you will be and may even notice a permanent change in your environmental wellbeing at home and at work by simply celebrating this day in a new way.

Ways to be Kind at Work

Some days it can be tough to be kind at work, especially if there are hurt feelings, frustration around responsibilities, or if you are just plain busy. However, those are the best days to take a couple of moments out and force yourself to do something kind for those around you.

Here are 10 simple things you could do at work today to celebrate this important concept.

Take a co-worker out to lunch or coffee who may be going through a stressful time (or bring them in a cup of their favorite beverage).

Ask a co-worker who is struggling with caregiving or is having a hard time, what you can do to help or offer to babysit one night for them.

Write a thank you note or bring in a treat for your janitorial staff who are rarely seen but do a ton of work to make sure your office is clean and ready to go for you.

Say thank you to your receptionist for their hard work making sure your office runs smoothly.

Send an encouragement note out to a co-worker.

Smile at everyone you see in the hallway. This will encourage you and your co-workers!

Don’t wait to be asked, but stay late or come in early and help a co-worker out on a big project.

Stop and say “good morning” to a co-worker that you don’t normally interact with.

Bring in a big crock pot of soup to share with everyone who wants some.

Publicly recognize someone’s strengths and thank them for a job well done.

And remember, if you see someone struggling that needs help or should talk to someone, the EAP is a great resource and MINES and Associates has counselors available 24/7 to talk. Please give them our number at 1-800-873-7138 and offer to help them call.

Ways to be Kind at Home

We all know about random acts of kindness as there are countless stories of people buying coffee for the person behind them or passing along the good holiday cheer to strangers. This is an important aspect of what this day is all about. However, it is also important to bring this home to your family and friends.

Offer to help a family member or friend work on their weekend to-do list.

Take someone a meal so they don’t have to cook dinner for a day.

Have everyone in your home (whether it is just you, your significant other, and/or your kids) write a thank you note to each person in the house.

Do a chore for someone that you know they don’t like to do.

Try writing up a list of random acts of kindness that someone could do for others in the house. Then every week draw from that list and do that action.

Send a gift to someone who is having a hard day.

Leave a treat for your mailman in your mailbox.

Clean your kids’ room for them, without grumbling.

Thank someone for their everyday contribution.

Set time aside to have that lengthy conversation with your relative that likes to talk.

Ways to be Kind to Yourself

There are plenty of acts you can do that are selfless and helpful to those around you. However, have you considered that you need to be kind to yourself? Those times you feel guilty, stressed by your actions, or unsure about yourself, take this day to look inward at how you can build your personal wellbeing and improve yourself. Be kind and gentle with yourself. Treat yourself to something special. Most nutrition experts will agree that having a cheat day built into your healthy food schedule allows for habits to solidify and for you to enjoy life and those special occasions. So, take this time to examine what makes you happy and what you can do to support your needs. And take the time to tell a friend, co-worker, or family member your needs so they can support you in the future. Communication is key and we are all in this crazy world together trying to make the best of each day.

And it is always a good idea to talk to a counselor if you feel you need help or want to find ways to improve your wellbeing. MINES is happy to talk with you and help you set goals around this. Or you can check out our monthly communication that dives deeper into all 8 areas of wellbeing to see how you can support your needs.

Celebrate Kindness Every Day!

Use this day to start finding ways to incorporate kindness into your life. As you do this, you will be amazed at how satisfied you feel, how helpful you feel, and how much you can influence those around you. Smile, give generously, be helpful in small ways.